


Our Own Revelations

by orphan_account



Category: Babylon 5, Babylon 5 & Related Fandoms
Genre: Canon Universe, Episode: s02e02 Revelations, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Mild Smut, POV Talia Winters, Some Plot, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-05-10 04:13:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14729741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "Michael," she said gently. "You're still hurt. This might not be the best time..."He shook his head. "I don't give a damn about timing."This story takes place during s02e02 ("Revelations") while Garibaldi is recovering from being shot in the back. It outlines Talia and Garibaldi's developing relationship and provides some context for their interactions during s02e07 ("Soul Mates").





	Our Own Revelations

Talia straightened her collar and pulled on her black leather gloves. She examined her appearance in the mirror; not a hair out of place. She picked up the pin from the dresser and slid it, hands trembling slightly, into place on her lapel.

 _Psi Corps_. The small piece of metal designated her as a telepath. It was the reason people shrank away from her when she passed in the Zocalo. The reason they avoided her gaze because they were afraid of what she might find out about them. The reason she was stationed here, on Babylon 5, instead of living peacefully back on Earth with the family she had already forgotten.

Talia stared at herself a moment longer, wishing things didn't have to be this way. She carefully brushed a wrinkle from her pantsuit and straightened her posture before pressing the button to exit her quarters. A group of station security officers was waiting for her in the hallway. She approached them, taking in their worried eyes and disheveled appearances. They had been on duty for days.

"I'm ready."

~~~~~~

As they approached Med Lab, Talia found herself fiddling with her gloves. It was a nervous habit, one she'd had since she was a scared little girl first learning how to control her abilities. She hated doing this kind of scan. It made her remember the time she spent working for Earthforce, scanning killers before they were subjected to the death of personality. Perpetrator, victim, it was all the same. Being forced to experience someone else's suffering firsthand was too upsetting for her. She had told the Corps as much when she asked to be reassigned. But she was the only commercial telepath on the station, and Garibaldi was a friend.

The Medlab doors opened with a hiss. Talia dragged her thoughts back to the present as she walked inside, the footsteps of her escorts heavy on the floor behind her. Garibaldi looked like he'd been to hell and back twice. Somehow, he appeared smaller without his uniform. He had dark circles around both eyes and every movement seemed to be a great effort for him. Talia barely registered Officer Welch's exchange with Garibaldi; she was caught up in a wave of sympathy for him. He looked broken.

"--He tell you?" Talia blinked, refocusing. Garibaldi was speaking to her. She cleared her throat slightly.

"Yes." She looked up at the ceiling for a moment, collecting her words. "Mr. Garibaldi, you have to understand--even if I do go into your mind, even if I find anything--it won't be admissible in court."

"I know." His voice was full of grim determination. "Look, I gotta know who did this to me. If there's anything in my memory, anything that I missed or forgot, you can find it."

Talia sighed, fiddling with the cuff of her glove again. "You may be placing too much faith in my abilities, but I'll try." Garibaldi nodded, eager to continue. "Given your condition, this will have to be a deep scan," She said, apologetic. "It may cause you some discomfort."

Garibaldi gritted his teeth, his lips pressed into a thin line. He offered her his hand. "Let's do this."

Talia removed her glove, pausing for a moment to steel herself before slipping her hand into Garibaldi's. His skin was warm, his grip steady, and for just an instant she got a flash of emotion from him--trust, trust in her. She closed her eyes and concentrated.

~~~~~~

Garibaldi's mind pushed back at her at first, reacting automatically to the unseen invader invader. Talia pressed on and broke through the resistance after a moment, feeling the barrier shatter like glass. She could hear Garibaldi's breathing speed up; he was doing his level best to stay calm.

First came a strong wave of his personality, the otherness of it distinct to her own. She felt his drives: his honesty, his paranoia, his willingness to give everything to protect those he loved. His love for Mars and for Earthforce. The anguish within him that came from knowing that he could have saved President Santiago and failed. A shiver of discomfort ran down Talia's spine. She felt his mind trying to push her away from the memories of that night, to build a wall around them so nothing could spill out. She pushed back harder and latched on, digging for the thoughts that Garibaldi's brain was trying so desperately to lock away from them both.

Talia felt rather than saw his wince of pain as she dug deeper, his fingers squeezing tightly around hers. She knew she was looking in the right place. She sifted through the memories and pulled forth the one that tried hardest to slip through her grasp. She stepped into the coldness of it and watched through Garibaldi's eyes as he confronted the conspirators.

 _"Thought I told you not to mess around in things that were too big for you--"_ The man's voice played like a recording, but her attention was drawn by something else. She experienced Garibaldi's feeling that something was very, very wrong. Talia scanned desperately around the fast fading memory to find the source of the dread. There--a reflection in the metal of the bulkhead, someone familiar. To her surprise, Talia found that she recognized the face, too. With mounting horror, she watched as Garibaldi's second in command raised his PPG and fired. She felt the searing agony of the blast hitting him in the back and the dull pain of his cheekbone hitting cold steel as he collapsed into the floor.

"No!" Talia moaned, snatching her hand away. "No, god, no...." She staggered back into Officer Welch for a moment and fought to regain her composure. She looked into Garibaldi's eyes and saw shock and confusion there as he tried to process what he'd seen. 

It was all too much--she needed some air. "I'm sorry." she whispered, and half-ran for the exit, fighting down the urge to be sick all over Dr. Franklin's pristine floors.

~~~~~~

Several hours and a few stiff drinks later, Talia was feeling a little more like herself. Both Welch and Captain Sheridan had interrogated her after the scan. Talking to Welch about what happened had been almost as bad as experiencing it firsthand. The expression on his face when she told him who was behind the attack was the same one Garibaldi had worn earlier. It was the ultimate betrayal; one of security's own taking out someone many of them seemed to look on as a role model, if not a brother.

She sat on the bed in her quarters, absentmindedly brushing her straight blonde hair and thinking about the memory. It had been awful experiencing his conscious mind's reaction to the information she'd uncovered. Even hours later she could still feel his denial, anger, and desperation so strongly that it felt like she could taste them. Garibaldi was a broken man now in more ways than one.

Talia kept trying to push the images out of her mind, but found that she couldn't. She was concerned for Garibaldi. He had always been a good friend to her, and she felt horrible knowing that the things she'd unearthed during the scan were probably tearing him apart. She wrestled with the idea of going to see him for a while before she realized it was hopeless--she didn't have a chance of getting any sleep tonight unless she went. She rose and dressed quickly, walking quickly toward the transport tube.

When she arrived in Med Lab, Garibaldi's bed was empty. The doctor was at his desk in the corner, inputting something from a chart into the central computer. "Excuse me, Dr. Franklin," she said, making an effort to keep her tone professional.

"Ms. Winters!" He greeted her warmly. "What can I do for you?"

"I was just looking for Mr. Garibaldi. I wanted to see how he was doing."

"Well, medically he's much improved." Dr. Franklin said, looking pleased. "He'll walk with a cane for a few weeks, but he should be back to normal before too long. I discharged him a couple hours ago, he should be back in his own quarters by now."

Talia smiled wanly. "That's good to hear."

The doctor must have felt the strain in her voice. He laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Ms. Winters. He'll be back to annoying all of us in no time." Talia nodded.

"I know. Thank you, Dr. Franklin." 

"Of course. Did you need anything else?" His fingers were inching toward the chart he had been working on before she walked in. She shook her head.

"No. Good night." Talia stalked out of the medical bay and headed for the tube, doing her best not to make it obvious where she was going.

~~~~~~

Garibaldi's quarters were in blue sector--Talia remembered the address from all the times he'd tried to convince her to come over to see his "second favorite thing." What she wouldn't have given for that kind of normalcy in the last few weeks. She pressed the buzzer, but there was no response. She pursed her lips. Regulations forbade her from scanning someone without consent, but even without listening properly she could tell someone was inside. She buzzed again, laying on the button for much longer than was necessary. This time she was greeted by a weary sigh and a hoarse voice saying "Come."

The door swung open, and Talia went inside. Garibaldi's quarters looked nothing like she expected. Everything was neat and clean, save for some dishes in the sink, and it was decorated in calming neutrals. A framed poster of a cartoon duck hung over the bed; she vaguely recognized it from something she had seen on television as a child. Garibaldi himself was lying back on the couch, one hand covering his eyes to shield them from the harsh light spilling in from the hallway. He raised it slightly to see who his visitor was.

"Talia?" He looked puzzled to see her there. He was still out of uniform, and seeing him in his street clothes felt strangely intimate. She swallowed.

"Mr. Garibaldi--"

"Michael." He interjected.

Talia smiled slightly. "Michael. I just came to see if you were alright, after earlier."

Garibaldi sighed, pushing himself up off the couch with difficulty and hobbling with his cane over to the sink to get a glass of water. "Well, ordinarily I'd lie and tell you that everything was fine. But you've been inside my head, so you know it's not."

"Did they catch him?" Her throat felt dry.

"Oh, you better believe they did. Lou tells me he got in a few punches before the Captain called him off, too. The boys are all pretty shaken up by this." Garibaldi eased himself back down onto the couch and gestured at the space beside him. Talia sat on the edge of the cushion, taking care not to get too comfortable.

"You know, I went to see him earlier," Garibaldi remarked, staring blankly ahead at the wall. "I wanted to look into his eyes, thought maybe if I did I'd understand why. But there was nothing. It was like having a staring contest with a snake. He just sat there and smiled." He turned to look at her. "I treated Jack like a brother, taught him everything I knew. I thought that one day he might take over for me, be chief of security for B5 when I retired. And he shot me in the damn back. You better believe I'm not alright." His brows knit together and his mouth pressed into a thin line.

Talia didn't need telepathic powers to know what he was thinking about. She remembered it all perfectly; the shock, the betrayal, the heartbreak, all washing over him in waves that threatened to drag them both under. She was overcome with affection for Garibaldi as she looked into his eyes. Without registering what she was doing, She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.

He stiffened, inhaling sharply. Talia registered his surprise; he was broadcasting it so loudly that she couldn't help but pick it up. The sensation jolted her out of her reverie and she jumped up from the couch, putting space between the two of them.

"I-I'm sorry. That was completely unprofessional. I should go." She whirled for the door, but Garibaldi stood and closed the distance in two quick strides. He placed one hand on her lower back and cupped her face with the other, leaning in to kiss her deeply. She found herself surrendering to his touch, kissing him back just as passionately. His tongue slipped past her lips and she sighed, relishing the taste of him. She began to realize that Garibaldi had no fear of what she was. He'd never treated her any differently, never tried to shield himself from her. In him, she'd found the kind of acceptance she couldn't even get from other telepaths. The Corps did little to foster trust in its ranks, only obedience.

Talia could tell that standing for so long without his cane was painful for Garibaldi. He was shaking slightly from the effort. She broke the kiss and looked at him with concern. "Michael," she said gently. "You're still hurt. This might not be the best time..."

He shook his head. "I don't give a damn about timing. I just need to lie down for a minute. Help me to the bed?" He put his arm around her shoulders and she helped him limp across the room. Supporting the weight of a grown man in four-inch stilettos was difficult, though, and as they reached the bed her ankle wobbled and they fell. Garibaldi landed on his back and Talia landed on top of him, immediately noticing the hardness of his erection against her thigh. The heat of him was evident even through all their layers of clothing. She gasped, surprised by the immediate show of interest, and by the realization that she was interested too. She'd known Garibaldi was carrying a torch for her for some time, but every pick up line had always been delivered with a half-joking inflection. This was uncharted territory, everything strange and new since the moment their lips first met.

Garibaldi pulled her down into another deep kiss, trailing his lips down her neck. His breath was hot against her ear. She shuddered slightly and sat up, carefully pulling off her gloves and beginning to undo her blouse. Her hands were shaking and she had trouble unbuttoning the garment, but Garibaldi's were steady and quickly took over for her. Soon they were both nude, pausing for a moment to take each other in. Garibaldi had a smile on his face; Talia suspected that he had undressed her in his mind many times before. He was surprisingly fit for his age, muscles still defined even after three weeks in a coma. She could see the twisted scar on his back where the PPG blast had burned his flesh. She winced, re-experiencing his memory of being shot. She touched her fingers lightly to the mark, and he stiffened.

"Does it hurt?" She asked with concern, withdrawing her hand.

Garibaldi shook his head. "No, it just feels...strange. Almost like it's someone else's skin." He rolled onto his back, pulling her over so she was straddling him. "I'm glad you came to see me."

Talia leaned down to kiss him once more. He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her down against him, looking at her with a pleading expression on his face. Not one for drawing things out, Talia reached down and slipped him inside her, moaning at the sensation of him filling her up, the heat of his flesh against hers. 

Talia had only ever had sex with telepaths before. The sensation of crawling around in someone else's head while they dug through her own was always painful for her. Jason Ironheart had been the only one who was ever gentle about it. Making love to Garibaldi was different, more human somehow. He looked at her with no expectations, simply taking what she chose to give of herself.

They moved together, her soft sighs mingling with his moans of pleasure as they built up speed, going faster and harder until they both came together, shaking. Garibaldi sat up, still inside her, and wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her stomach. She stroked his hair, doing her best to encourage warm, calming thoughts.

Several hours later, Talia dressed in front of his mirror. She brushed the tangles out of her hair with her fingers and smoothed the wrinkles from the severe lines of her pantsuit. Garibaldi was still in bed, watching her through half closed eyes. He still looked tired, but more relaxed. Most of the tension had gone out of him.

"Michael," she said carefully, avoiding his gaze. "This was lovely, but it can't happen again. The Corps isn't very understanding about non-approved liaisons. If they found out about us, they could use that information to hurt you one day. They might even transfer me away from Babylon 5."

"Don't worry. I won't tell a soul." Garibaldi murmured drowsily. Talia pulled on her gloves and then carefully placed the metal pin on her lapel. The image was complete; her brief moment of respite was over and she was back to being Talia Winters, Licensed Commercial Telepath. She turned and made for the door.

"Goodnight, Michael."

"Hey Talia," Garibaldi said, sitting up in bed. Her finger paused an inch from the button.

"Yes?" She said, looking at him over her shoulder.

Garibaldi's smile was warm and genuine. "Thanks."

She smiled back at him, memorizing the look on his face before she stepped out into the empty corridor and the door slid shut behind her.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I've loved B5 since episode 1 and Garibaldi and Talia are still my favorite couple that never was. I thought this small arc fit nicely into the canon without disrupting any major story lines, so now my heart can rest easy. No beta, so any mistakes are my own.


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